Spurs hammer Heat, take 2-1 series lead

San Antonio, TX (Sports Network) - The stars for the San Antonio Spurs and
Miami Heat were again on the bench in the final minutes of Game 3.

Only this time, it was because the Spurs ran away with a humbling 113-77 rout for a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

The third-largest margin of victory in Finals history was anchored by two
unlikely heroes.

Danny Green and Gary Neal were unconscious from behind the arc, combining to
shoot 13-of-19 from 3-point range as the Spurs set a Finals record with 16
makes from behind the arc.

Green poured in 27 points after connecting on 7-of-9 from the perimeter,
upping his Finals total to 16 3-pointers in just three games.

Neal, after averaging less than six points in the postseason coming in,
chipped in 24 points off the bench for San Antonio, which never trailed and
led by as many as 37.

Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard each posted double-doubles in the resounding
win, while Tony Parker added six points and eight assists and was able to rest
his ailing hamstring down the stretch with the outcome decided.

The combination of Green and Leonard shut down LeBron James to the tune of 15
points on a poor 7-of-21 shooting effort. James also had 11 rebounds and five
assists, and Mike Miller checked in with 15 points on a perfect 5-of-5 showing
from behind the arc.

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh had 16 and 12 points, respectively, but combined
for just six after halftime. Mario Chalmers went 0-for-5 from the floor and
was held scoreless following his game-high 19-point effort on Sunday.

Since the NBA Finals went to a 2-3-2 format in 1985, the team that won Game 3
of a tied series has won the title 12 times in 13 instances. The only outlier
came in 2011 when the Heat lost the Dallas Mavericks in six games.